The Wild Dogs of Africa 1.24.10

The wild dogs of Africa
Monday afternoon after work I walked down to the Lilongwe Wildlife center which is about 1 mile from the college. When I arrived I discovered that the talk was at the Lilongwe Nature Center across the highway and up the hill about another ½ mile. I was quite early because I was told not to walk the road after dark. There is a restaurant in the nature center where I thought I might get a bite to eat but it was full with a raucous private party. The waitress seated me far away from everyone and only offered drinks so I had a Coke- the ubiquitous drink of Africa.
When I went to the room about 20 minutes before the starting time the speaker was there trying to get an electrical cord long enough to plug into his computer and projector and a working surge protector. I was hoping to meet some new non college people at this event as well as learn about the dogs. Soon a few other people came, most sounded British. I introduced myself to several of them but no one introduced him/herself to me. They continued to talk to one another and ignored me. A German couple talked to me briefly but that was it.
The talk was very interesting. The dogs are also known as painted dogs and Cape hunting dogs (Lycaon pictus). There are very few of them in the entire world. The pack in the national park in the north of Malawi which contains 7 adults and 10 pups may be one of the largest. The speaker was a retired British engineer who has been living in the park and studying the dogs for the past two years. Little is known about their behavior beyond their remarkable ability to kill what they chase. They catch their prey 90% of the time. Lions catch their dinner only 10% of the time. The prey for the dogs, which weigh 40-80 pounds, is mostly antelopes, rodents and birds by they also will pursue wildebeests and other large animals when they can. Like all true dogs they hunt and live in packs, share food and rearing of pups. They are characterized by big ears, multicolored patchy coats, and white tails. (See photo lifted from the web). They have only 4 toes on each foot. They are endangered so everything that can be learned about them is important. I think they are lovely and I had never seen a picture of one nor heard anything about them.
Unfortunately when he finished talking about the dogs he shared pictures and information about the deadly snakes and the lack of antivenin in the country. The pictures gave me nightmares. I also started looking carefully when I walked through grass. Apparently black mambas can rear up and move simultaneously and they are fast. Cobras and adders which they also have here can move only when their heads are on the ground. Mambas will kill you within minutes. Yeech what a way to go!
When I came out it was pouring rain in huge globs as it does here in Africa and it was pitch black. My taxi driver texted me but he was at the wrong place. We found this out when he called and wanted me to walk to the road. (He couldn’t understand me on the phone and I had to text my instructions to him earlier in the evening). The nice Malawians who work at the park told me "no I couldn’t walk out to the roadbecause it was dangerous. They had me call him back so they could tell him where to come in Chichewa. We made it home and I was very grateful. His name is Saidhu and he is on my good guy list and will be my driver of choice from here on out. He speaks perfect English in person, drove as safely as anyone in Malawi, and did not charge me an arm and a leg because I am mzungu.

An afternoon at the beauty shop

An afternoon at the Beauty Shop
Saturday 1/22/11
Today I went downtown to meet Thandie my friend from our previous trip to Malawi. We were delighted to see each other again and we hugged like old friends long parted. We then walked over the high priced European frequented mall (Old Town Mall) so I could buy coffee that was recommended to me by another American coffee lover. Everyone here seems to drink tea – gallons of it with milk and sometimes sugar. (Unfortunately tea tastes like stagnant water to me and the addition of milk makes it even more unpleasant but coffee I cannot live without.) We had lunch at an Italian deli. I ordered a pizza but the power went out so I was left with choosing a sandwich. I said I did not care what I ate as long as there was no chicken in it. So I got a ham and cheese on rustica bread and it was heavenly. Thandie got the same thing. During the course of our lunch I learned from the restaurant owner that Thandie was a professional pool player. He had seen her picture in the newspaper. She then told me that she had to leave soon to go to a pool game at three. I asked her if she knew a place where I might get a pedicure so she took me around the corner to the KINGS and QUEENS salon where she introduced me to Mike who was in the midst of doing a pedicure on another woman.
I walked Thandie to the minibus and came back to salon to wait my turn. I learned quite a lot about beauty and hair care in Africa. First I must say that the women here really take care of their own hair and seem to take time and effort with their daughter’s hair as well. There was a two-year old named Lily who was very cute and had just had all her hair braided into cornrows. The beautician – a young man – was trying to get her to stand or sit still while he used a blow drier on it. Lily, who was quite a character and not at all frightened of me was more interested in doing anything but sitting still. She also seemed quite pleased with herself and her appearance and was showing off.
Another woman was having an entire head of light and dark brown curly hair attached to her own very short hair by the process of weaving. I knew that women wove braids into their own hair but I had no idea that some of the beautiful full heads of curly hair I had seen were extensions. The entire process took about an hour while the customer sat and read a Linda Fairstein mystery. In the next chair a woman was getting her mid length hair – relaxed. A nasty smelling chemical was applied and left on for about 15 minutes then washed out. Following that her hair was put in big rollers and she went to an old fashioned dryer. When her hair was dry they combed out all the curls and her hair was straight – so I didn’t understand why they used the curlers in the first place. Next a woman came for a “treatment” and an oily cream was applied to her hair and left there for some minutes then washed out and her hair was styled. Another woman came in with hair that had been rolled into tiny strings that the beautician then braided together into loose but tiny braids that stuck out.
Unlike American beauty shops this one had no real beautician chairs with foot rests and levers to bring them up and down. Customers were seated in straight chairs. They did have beautician style wash basins and rolling carts for rollers and etc. However if a comb fell on the floor they just picked it up and used it. They did clean combs in a solution between customers.
The pedicure was interesting – he had no fancy pedicure set up. I sat in a hard chair and soaked my feet in a foot basin much like the ones you can buy for at home use. This one vibrated and had a heater in it as well as rollers for your insteps. Mike was at pains to show me that it and the instruments he used were clean which I appreciated. His equipment like everything in Africa was well used. The emery boards were nearly worn out and he used a new razor blade to cut the calluses off my feet. I got pretty nervous about that but he really knew what he was doing and never got anywhere near cutting me – for which I was grateful. His foot and leg massage was heavenly and made my feet feel fabulous. The whole process including a short wait before he began and another in the middle while he styled the hair of a woman he had under the dryer took 1.5 hours.
Mike is from the Congo and speaks English, French, Swahili, and Chichewa! He owns the shop and assured me he could cut my hair if I needed it. I’ll have to think about that.
In addition to watching the hair care process I also watched “Africa T.V.”, a station from Zambia, that seems to show African made films and music videos. I enjoyed the music and even though I couldn’t hear it – got very interested in a Nigerian movie called “Who will tell the President?” I may have to rent that one sometime.
My pedicure cost me the princely sum of about $15.50! The experience was priceless! I wish I could have taken pictures but I didn’t dare even ask. I have gotten quite shy about picture taking since many people don’t like it and the others all want money.
Tomorrow (Monday) I am going to try attending a lecture on “Wild Dogs” sponsored by the Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi at 7PM at the Sanctuary. I know I can get there from the college on a minibus and Thandie gave me the name of a taxi driver who can take me home if the minibuses have stopped running. I will let you know how that goes. I have decided I really must expand my acquaintance circle so I can get out and see and do more.

Our cute kittens

These are Regina's two kittens Paul Anka and one i call trouble. Thought you animal lovers would like them. I am glad we have them

Photos from my neighborhood

Caphriri Coffin shop

Caphriri Market Tinsmiths

Caphiri Market Tailor

Caphiri Market Recycler and his pile of scrap

A walk in my neighborhood

January 17, 2011
A walk in my neighborhood
Today is a national holiday in Malawi to honor John Chilembwe. He was a Malawian hero of independence, educated at a theological school in Virginia and exposed to the work of John Brown and other antislavery and anticolonial writers. In 1915 he staged an uprising against plantation owners in Malawi (then called Nyassaland) who were exploiting their African workers. The group beheaded one plantation owner but did not harm women or children. John was soon caught and killed. His followers as well as other African Baptists were also eliminated. He picture appears on Malawian kwacha (money).
I was at home reading students’ papers today and I needed to get up and move around. I decided to walk outside our gate and explore the neighborhood. There are not many (or perhaps any) mzungu (white people) this far out of town so I think I might have been a startling presence. When I walked down the road behind our house to see where it went the workers at the house across from us were watching intently to see where I went but I didn’t go far as the road ends in a large gate that belongs to house behind us. All middle and upper class houses in Malawi are surrounded by high walls often topped with razor wire or broken glass and accessed through big metal gates consequently you can’t really see the houses unless you get invited in . The house across from us is an exception – they don’t have a wall. The house is I think owned by Koreans or Chinese who have a very large well tended truck garden in front that is surrounded by a high reed fence. I am sure the food is grown for sale and every inch of the land they have is used. I can see corn, cabbage, groundnuts, zucchini (I think), tomatoes, eggplant and lots of other greens I can’t identify. As I walk out to the road I come to the Dongosolo furniture company building – there are people inside making a large overstuffed chair and next door is a coffin factory I never noticed before. I quickly run across the street and begin walking down toward the market. As I went I could hear people saying “mzungu” (this isn’t a pejorative but alerts everyone that money might be coming – I took none with me so I could truthfully say “sindhlama”, I have no money when people begged.) There are several small “supermarkets” more like convenience stores in concrete buildings but across from the buildings there are stalls – mostly a roof supported by four poles to keep the sun off. People were selling produce – tomatoes, mangos, bananas, eggplant, greens as well as some sardine sized dried fish, dried chambo, haunches of goat and pig which hang outside until sold, used clothing, audio tapes, and cigarettes that are knock offs of US brands. There is also a bicycle repair man who was replacing the bearings in the crankshaft of a very old and well used bike, two men making pails and pots from tin (see photo), several tailors sewing skirts and dresses and an enterprising recycler. (see photo) I stopped and talked to this young man because he was very friendly and I was interested in what he was doing with the pile of metal scrap that I had seen on the road. Kids were bringing him metal – old car parts, broken bike parts, aluminum and “tin” cans anything made out of metal. He weighs it on a hanging scale and pays the kids who go off to scavenge more. He hires a guard a night to watch the pile – the guard probably also takes care of other stalls in the area – and then the recycling company comes and picks it all up and pays him. I will take all my aluminum to him unless I find out that Annabanda is doing it and if so I will let her have the income since I just want to recycle. There also is a young artist working in the market – his work is quite good especially the portraits he does from photographs. He is a nice young man and I will watch his work until I see something I like. I enjoy buying from artists I know and his work while not remarkable is certainly colorful and depicts Malawi. I will take a picture of his stall one of these days.
Behind the market are several housing areas for poorer people, several bars that look dark and nasty, a well kept guest house that advertises ensuite bathrooms and DSLV TV, a barber shop, and several repair shops. There are also some “investment companies”. These establishments all seem to sell cement and other building products as well as a potpourri of other items. Nearly all the enclosed shops are owned by Muslims who appear to be Pakistani or Indian and non-Muslim Indians. There seem to be a lot of Indians and Chinese here and there is an Indian crematorium down the street so if I die I can be easily and conveniently reduced to ashes for efficient shipment home.
I did draw a lot of interest as I walked and I was frequently asked three questions “Where are you going? Where are you from? Can I have 50 Kw?
I think they will get used to seeing me and I won’t be such a sight – one little child was screaming and the mother indicated to me he was afraid of me so I hurried away where he couldn’t see me. Maybe he too will become used to my whiteness. I feel badly when I scare the children. Pictures will follow.

Photos from the walk through Lilongwe

Mc Daud's Sign

Lilongwe Minimall

Boy with his cattle in the lot in front of our house

Close up of the cattle drover

My wonderful hostess and friend - Regina

A ride in a minibus

January 15, 2011
Riding the minibus
I have been nervous about riding the minibus – mostly fearing I would end up somewhere and not know where I was. However, if I want to be able to get around on my own I have to learn and today was the day. I called Regina and told her I was planning to ride the bus home from downtown and she told me where to go to catch the right one. (I keep getting confused because everything is on the opposite side of the road). Anyway after I called her I carefully stowed my phone in my pouch and a good thing too because she called me back at once and to say she’d come get me because she was afraid I’d get lost but I never heard the phone in all the noise. I am glad because I might have chickened out and missed the adventure.
I walked across the street from Shop Rite to where some minibuses were pulling up and asked for the one to the main bus “station”. The “station” is actually a series of dirt lots where the minibuses deposit their riders and the wait for the bus to fill before they proceed to their destination. Once deposited at the “station” one has to walk around to find the buses with the right placard in the window. I live out towards the “Bunda turnoff” so I had to find the bus that said “Bunda or one that says Mchinji” (same direction). I walked quite a way and finally found a bus with a “Bunda” sign. Regina’s daughter had already told me it should cost $100 Kw about 70 cents so I was ready with an appropriate note. There were already 4 people in the 12 passenger bus when I got in. By the time we were ready to leave there were 16 (17 if you count the baby) – four in the front, five in the second row – two people sitting on each other’s lap, and three in each of the back rows. One of the guys in the second row was the money collector but he didn’t collect until we were on the road. While we sat waiting for the bus to fill vendors came by selling water, juice, popsicles, lollipops, newspapers, and used clothes. Once the bus was over- full the driver tried to start it but it wouldn’t turn over so the money collector and a couple of young guys on the bus got out and pushed until it started. Then we sat in the minibus traffic jam as we wended our way out of the minibus area onto the highway. About 4 km out the money was collected and an older woman in the back asked me where I was getting out. I said I didn’t know the name but it was across from the Dongoloso furniture company past the second market. “Oh”, the man next me said, “that is Caphiri, which means small mountain”. So we rode along packed together in a bus with no shocks, on seats with no springs on tarmac with lots of holes and wavy pavement until we reached “Caphiri”. As we reached there I noticed for the first time that there was a small mound of stone a few km behind the market. The driver didn’t stop at the market, he went on and stopped directly across from Dongosolo to let me out which was very nice. Some of the people on the bus were worried because they thought I didn’t know where I was going – perhaps because you can’t see Regina’s house from the road- but I assured them I did know where I stayed. Regina said she thought they were wondering what a Mzungu was doing living way out here! I thought they were very kind. They let me off and I caught a lucky traffic break and made it across the highway before they left.
As I walked down the little dirt track to our house, I encountered a herd of cattle being managed by two little boys of about 6 years (see pictures). They had little sticks that I guess they were using to direct the cattle. (Only one of the boys would let me take his picture so you only see one). As I was going to our gate, an older boy came running, I think to help the little ones. Quite an adventurous day!

Pictures of all of this and Regina tomorrow!!

A Trip into town

January 15 2011
A trip into town
I went into Lilongwe this morning with Regina and had her leave me there so I could walk around, explore, and learn my way around. I started at ShopRite which is the big grocery store in the middle of town and I just walked the aisles and then I walked to the Metro across the street, the 7-11 on the hill, and the Crossroads at the top of the hill and did the same thing. It is always interesting to see what is available in the shops. The one constant in all the food shops was a complete aisle of rice – most grown in Malawi and of several varieties. On the other side of that aisle there were usually dried beans, dried maize, cream of maize (which is ground maize) and occasionally very small lentils. The baked goods aisles were usually well stocked with cookies (called biscuits here), crackers, and rusks (dried bread cut into pieces bigger than croutons these are eaten for breakfast with milk like cereal). Most of the baked goods come from Malawi and South Africa although some are from Britain. There is imported irradiated milk and milk in plastic bags from Malawi, yogurt that is very runny, margarine, marmite (yuck), something called blue band that may be margarine but I don’t think so and butter. Most stores have some cuts of meat but most are very low quality and have a lot of fat – the ground beef looked to be ½ fat. They did have frozen haddock and the local fish, Chambo. The beer and wine sections in two of the stores were quite large but most of the beer is Carlsburg – brewed in Malawi and Amstel also brewed here. The wines are South African. The liquor is mostly South African or European except the Malawi gin, whiskey, and vodka which is very cheap and looks vile. The stores also had a lot of small packages of chips (called crisps here) and Malawi peanuts (which are very good). No cheese, no cereal except cream of maize, corn flakes and a few packages of oatmeal. One store had some lovely looking granola from South Africa that I will try some time. Eggs and store made bakery goods are plentiful. The store baked goods tend to be white bread – I found one store that had whole grain bread – and donuts, scones and cream filled pastries. One can also buy samosas – pastries with meat filling – that often sit unrefrigerated for days. There is also custard powder that you mix with water to make custard. I will have to try it some time I suspect it’s not very good but one never knows. The real find for the day was ONE store that had Pepsi Light!! I am so happy! I am in withdrawal from my Diet Dr. Pepper and I can only afford one soda a day here but I certainly look forward to it. I have also found a sour lemon soda that has sugar but comes in a very small can and is a good variation.
In addition to exploring the food store I also went to Game which is a South African store that has been compared to Target, but has a lot less merchandise. I wanted a medium sized sealed plastic container to put my lunch in but I couldn’t find anything the right size – containers were really large, really small or kids plastic lunchboxes. I was also looking for a folder to put my students’ homework in but I didn’t find anything I could use. I need something in my bathroom to put my stuff on but the only thing they had cost a lot and was metal which will rapidly corrode. I went into a number of the small boutique shops and they do have some lovely clothes – many hand made – in all sizes.
While walking up the long hill to Crossroads I saw a sign for McDoud’s that used an M similar the Mc Donald’s “M”. I stopped to take a picture of the sign and very carefully composed it to avoid any people. No sooner had I finished than two young men who had been walking down the hill said “give me $50 kwacha. You took my picture”. I said I didn’t, showed them the photo, and said "no 50 Kwacha. They went off disappointed. From the top of the hill you can see the City center with the large mosque as a landmark. I tried to get a picture from there but there were too many trees.
Coming down the hill I saw the sight of the day. There was a small white truck with no markings on the side of the road. In the back of the truck was a guy in a uniform. I have no idea whether he was police, military or private security since all wear uniforms and look official. He was holding a very large automatic rifle (I thought it was a machine gun but that’s probably not right). The truck was stuck and had to be pushed by the bystanders until it could be jump started. How ironic! I would have loved to photograph that but I didn't dare.
Saturday is shopping day so there were a lot of people walking up and down the roads. Music was blaring from some of the shops, minibuses were honking to attract customers, drivers were honking because people weren’t moving fast enough and a few street corner preachers were shouting in Chichewa. There were also many people walking around selling things – used clothing, new and used shoes, bananas, pineapples, avocados, and mangos, CDs, phone cards, newspapers, flipflops, and occasionally chamba (marijuana). These vendors seemed to target drivers first and then walkers – drivers are likely to have more money. Money changers accosted me around the Niko center where the Game store is located and I encountered a few beggars who were disabled as well as a few people who just asked for money. I wish I could take pictures but I don’t think I can afford it so you will have to settle for my word pictures.
By the time I got back to Shop Rite I had walked for 4 hours straight, I was tired and I noticed earlier in the day that the new ice cream shop looked like it was open. I came down the hill intent on an ice cream and as they say here a “sit down”. The doors were open but much to my disappointment the store wasn’t really open. They were training their new employees who were making ice cream cones, sundaes, waffles, etc that were melting all over the place! I walked across the street and settled for pita with guess what? CHICKEN! I met an Australian woman who has lived here 8 years. She lives in a village on the Lake and runs some pre-schools and much to my surprise does not speak a word of Chichewa or the local language on that part of the lake – Tumbiko. We had a nice visit but I expect I will not see her again.
Hope you enjoyed this excursion. Look for the minibus ride home in the next installment. Pictures on Tuesday. I can't upload them on my dongle. Hope you are enjoying these and if you have suggestions you'll send them along.

My students and our cook and handyman

This is Edward and Annabanda our handyman-farmer and our cook

Some of my students in class

My first days teaching

My first days teaching in Malawi
This was quite an experience. The students here spend 6 weeks in classes and then go to clinical sites for 6 weeks. Consequently theory courses are concentrated and involve many hours of teaching a week. The clinical and theory courses are concentrated because the students are often sent to other parts of Malawi for their clinical experience. On Monday I learned I would be teaching part of the combined statistics and research course for the year 3 students. I am housed in the basic studies department which consists of faculty teaching leadership, communications, physiology and pathophysiology, and research and statistics. Most of the faculty are not nurses. There are two nurses, a psychologist, a physiologist, two leadership faculty (one of whom is a nurse), a linguist and an English specialist, a sociologist, and me.
Last week the students were in Blantyre where they thought they would be all of this term but the decision was made to bring them back to Lilongwe and send the Year 2 students to Blantyre. I believe the decision was made because there were more faculty in Blantyre with expertise in the courses taught in year 2 than for year 3 but I really don’t know. Last minute decisions seem to be common here. The class last week (introduction to research) was taught by the psychologist. I was assigned to teach the rest of the research content (7 hours a week – 4 on Wed and 3 on Thursday). I had to scurry to prepare. The students have a syllabus that is as detailed as many texts but clearly not prepared by a nurse and needing some updating. I learned today that some of the students don’t have copies of the module because they aren’t yet available – a problem with the printer I think. I also did not have access to my books which are the American Embassy but a car has to be dispatched to pick them up and deliver them to the University and no car has been available. I am hoping they can be gotten tomorrow.
I did know that the students are expected to produce a proposal for a research project at the end of the term (at the end of 12 weeks) and that they really had not been introduced to how to search the literature. I had a discussion with the librarian who was very keen to get the students into the library and learning how to use the search engines. So he was able to help a lot.
On Wed I had 103 students half of whom had no syllabus. Few have computers or internet access away from the college. Many lack skills in using the computer and none knew how to use the library on line to access search engines. I began class with a review of the steps in the research process with emphasis on the literature review. It was a good thing I began with a review because even though there was power on campus the room I was in (in the new building) had none so I couldn’t use my powerpoints. I had been told I could only make ten copies of handouts and I hadn’t been able to get my PDF printed. My friend the IT guy was in a meeting and couldn’t help me use their system to post them on line so there we were. The room is large, has high ceilings and lots of echoes. The students had difficulty understanding my American accent and I had difficulty understanding their Malawian accents and sometimes hearing what they were saying from the back of the room. In addition I could neither remember nor properly pronounce their names. I had to speak very loudly to be heard in the back of the room. This was all quite a challenge for both the students and I.
One of the class leaders, an impressive young woman name Esther, contacted someone to try to fix the power and after about an hour they apparently found the switch and presto I had powerpoints and that made a big difference for me and for the students. I sent half of them to the library for an hour to learn to search and I kept the other half then we switched. Students said this helped a lot but they needed more on searching and are willing to go to the library on their own in small groups to get the extra help.
The students are really great. They are smart and clearly have been studying. Many had taken research books from the library – most of the books were very old and worn – but they were using them to supplement especially if they didn’t have a syllabus. The students were very respectful and responsive during class and I got more interaction from them than I do from large classes in Spokane. I gave an in class assignment and they did it without grumbling and I saw no students goofing off instead of working. However, when class ends the noise is terrific – these are not quiet people- they talk, laugh, and even sing.
When class was over yesterday several of the girls said they were tired and feeling sad about sitting in class all day so they began to sing together. The song was in Chichewa but the singing was lovely. Today after class they were singing Silent Night but they weren’t just singing – they were trying to get a particular sound and they did parts over and over as well as trying a number of variations. This too was lovely because these students have great voices.
Today went better because we had electricity the whole three hours. We reviewed a simple research article I had assigned and they did a really marvelous job of identifying the parts of the research process, the kind of research and most importantly why the findings might be important for nurses and especially nurses in Malawi. Then they began to formulate research questions for their propoasals in pairs. They were so eager for feedback that I couldn't help them all while they were working. I have collected the papers and will look them and give them back with comments. Some wrote impressive sophisticated questions others need work. These are really good students and they certainly lack a lot of the resources we take for granted. There are at least 10 students who stand out as having leadership skills and potential as well. If Malawian health care in the future is in their hands the people can be assured of improved care.
I think we are understanding one another better and it is getting easier for me to understand what the students are saying. They told me that I talk slowly enough and clearly enough to be understood but they wish I’d speak louder. By the end of class my voice is hoarse and tired so I don’t know that I can do much better but I will keep trying. I feel lucky to be here and they are teaching me a lot – including a lot of Chichewa because many of their names are Chichewa words for example the last name Phiri means mountain and the first name Madalitso means Blessing. (many girls names are variations of Blessing or Thanksgiving).
Tomorrow pictures and perhaps video of some of my students – with their permission of course.

Learning to post

OOPS I got the same picture twice - sorry. Then I couldn't remove it.

Buying Beans in Bunda

Buying beans at Bunda College – January 8th
The University of Malawi (UNIMA) has five colleges two in Zomba to the south which is the original site of the university – Chancellor College (humanities and education) and Technical College (engineering and other technical programs). The medical college and a campus of the nursing college is in Blantyre also in the south and fairly close to Zomba. The main nursing campus is in Lilongwe and Bunda college, the agricultural college is about 30 Km outside of Lilongwe.
Late this morning Regina said she had to go to Bunda College to buy beans and asked if I would like to go with her. I said “of course, I’d like to go anywhere you are going”. So we set out. Since her daughter Michelle is going to college in South Africa next month Regina is worried about paying her school fees. She was offered the use of a large field – my guess is about 10-15 acres outside of town in addition to the 5 acre plot she has near the house and the 3 acres around the house. She and another faculty member grew beans last year and made a profit so she decided to do it again only on a larger scale. The person who owns the field has trustworthy workers who can plant for her but she needed to get the beans to owner of the field to take to the site the next morning early.
Last time I was in Malawi the country was very hot, dry, and brown. Now in summer with the rains falling nearly every day it is lush and green. The trees all have leaves the grass is high and the crops are beginning to grow or have already matured. As we drove out towards Bunda we saw very green fields, some forest and lots of people walking purposefully two and fro along the road. (Pictures coming in the next installment). The landscape is mostly flat except for occasional high grey rock mountains that seem to pop up out of nowhere. I am sure they are remnants of some old mountain system in the Rift Valley since we are at the end of the valley. Everywhere crops are growing and everything is lush. As we enter the campus we encounter a large new cafeteria, several hostels (dorms) and several neighborhoods of neat brick houses for the faculty and staff. As we continue down the rutted red clay road we pass fields on both sides but on the north side the fields belong to the village we can see at the foot of Bunda mountain and the ones to the south are part of Bunda farm. After driving around quite a bit and asking directions we finally find Mr. Mchenga (Mr. Sand) who rides with us to the storehouse. To get to the storehouse we pass many more fields, a forested area, and a lovely old bamboo grove. Just past the grove we enter the farm area. There is a herd of 20 or so cattle mostly Brahma, type herded but a lovely older gentleman with a face that has weathered beautifully and is full of character. Thankfully he agreed to a photograph. There were also two tractors in a large shed and a long row of brick animal enclosures. We located the woman with a key to the storeroom and two young men came to with a small scale to weigh them. They looked around for a stick that was sturdy enough to hold the scale and the bag of beans and then the two of them hefted 50 kg (100+ pounds) of kidney beans off the ground. I would guess that neither man weighed more than 120 lbs so they were really strong. We paid for the beans, stowed them in the boot (trunk) and made our way out of the farm. When I asked Regina how much she had to pay the people who planted the beans for her she said “talk about poverty in Malawi. These people live far out of town and they do not want money because they have nowhere to spend it. All they want are maize, sugar, and salt!” We in the US really do have little understanding of the level of poverty in Africa and elsewhere in the world. On our way back we stopped a man on a bicycle laden with maize and bought some ears – they are starchy rather than sweet and much tougher than the corn we usually eat but

My accomdations

My sitting room, bedroom and bathroom at Regina's

Some pictures

Children walking to school in the morning along the road we drive everyday

Gate at Kamuzu College of Nursing

Student Assembly on day 1 at Kamuzu College of Nursing 1.4.11

A walk to the Junction

January 8, 2011
A walk to the junction
This morning I finally got out of Regina’s compound on foot and walked the 1.5 miles or so to the “Bunda Turnoff” the landmark everyone uses to find her house. The turnoff is a junction for the road from Lilongwe and the road to Banda (more about Banda later). Like all major junctions here there is a police checkpoint where all vehicles must stop, an open air market, a petrol (gas) station, a large cell tower, and some small businesses. As I walked along the road I marveled at the things I saw being carried on the many bicycles going up and down the road. Since it was Saturday most people were going into Lilongwe to sell or selling along the road. As I do every day I passed men with huge stacks of firewood – sometimes twice as high as the guy sitting on the bike, secured in a wooden framework that creates a canopy over the rider’s head. How can anyone pedal such a heavy load? When there is an uphill incline most walk and only pedal on the flats or downhill but nevertheless balancing the bike under that load must take enormous skill. I also saw big loads of fresh red tomatoes, cucumbers, mangoes, bananas, greens, maize (a starchy rather than a sweet corn), chickens –mostly living- hung by their feet from the rack or handlebars and even a baby goat (alive). I also saw huge loads of grass for thatching huts as well as building materials and consumer goods being brought to the smaller outlying stores for resale stacked high on the rear of the bicycles heading back from Lilongwe. Occasionally I passed a bicycle taxi – a bike with a flat board for sitting over the rear tire. Looks like a dangerous and uncomfortable ride – I’d rather walk. The bicycle riders are all men. When I saw a woman along the road she was either carrying something on her head – anything from a load of produce, to a suitcase to just an umbrella balanced perfectly in the center of her head- or she is sitting by the side of the road selling some produce. The women smiled shyly and some said “good morning”, some of the kids waved at me, some said good morning in English or Chichewa, some stared, while others looked away. The men often greeted me and several asked me “Where you going?” “Nowhere” I said. “Oh just walking for exercise” they would reply matter of factly as though this is what one can expect from “mzungu” (white person). I noticed a number of small businesses along the road along with two very large complexes. The small businesses included a carver of elaborate gravestones with glass enclosed headstones where plastic flowers, ribbon wreaths or other tokens can be placed and kept safe from the elements. Near that business was another that had no sign but there were men sitting outside in front either talking or playing a game, a small grocery store, a carpentry, an ironmongery, and several whose products were not advertised. One of the large complexes advertises a resort in Mangochi (on the beach in Mozambique) a “car recovery” service and car sales service. Apparently a home, occasionally inhabited by the family who owns these businesses, is located behind the wall along with the car businesses. There was also a large “resort” hotel behind a high wall – Kim’s Retreat. I also passed many maize, peanut (everyone here calls them groundnuts), bean and tobacco fields some large some quite small. In most someone – often a woman- was working.
The day was sunny probably in the mid eighty’s with a nice breeze. I finally have some small sense of where I am – a bit out in the country and yet fairly close to town. I took no pictures this time but will try later. It seems I must pay if a photograph a poor person and maybe that’s OK as many people in Malawi live on less than $1.00 a day.

January 6

January 6, 2011
Every morning we drive from Regina’s house outside of town through the city center to the College. The traffic is always quite heavy with lots of cars, minibuses, and small pick up trucks whose beds are often full of men in dress shirts and pants or work clothes. There are also a tremendous number of bicycles all pedaled by men who must have extraordinary muscles because the backs of the bikes are stacked high with firewood, produce, or packaged goods. Occasionally one also sees a man riding on the back of a bicycle taxi.( a very precarious perch). Along the sides of the road are hordes of children some in bright blue uniforms others in their best clothes walking and running along on the way to school. The little children often stare at our car, some bravely shout out moni (good morning) or other words I don’t understand and then run away. Nearer to the roadside markets and to town we also see women in bright colored clothing with burdens on their heads or women in business dress walking along the road or emerging from the crowded minibuses. It is difficult to see the houses where all of these people live from the road. The bigger houses are often hidden behind places of business and have high walls around them, the poorer villages are all back off the road often past a field or two and may also be surrounded by a wall or by plantings. Each morning we pass corn fields where the corn is about 1-2 ft high and women are cultivating and weeding. As we move past the fields we come to the roadside grave marker mart followed by the coffin makers and then the furniture mart that goes on for several km. The coffins are quite elaborate and there are many to choose from. The furniture is mostly overstuffed chairs, love seats, and sofas covered with leather or velvet, beds with both simple and elaborate headboards, large elaborate wall units and a few dining tables and chairs. I have not however seen any small end or side tables in the market. And indeed there are only two in the house I am staying in. There are no small tables in my suite and I thought I’d like to buy one but it looks like they don’t make them. When we pass the furniture mart section then we begin to come to the city and we pass a very large partially completed Catholic church, the Malawi technical college and the Partners in Health Hospital. We then make a left turn and continue on into the town.
In all the traffic I still find myself getting nervous about being on the opposite side of the road. I am so glad I decided not to drive here because it truly is a nightmare and when you get into town there is no place to park.
I am looking forward to the weekend when I can walk around and become acquainted with my neighborhood. I will be a little nervous because everyone speaks in Chichewa and although I understand some of the words and phrases there is much more I don’t understand. I did learn the polite way to refuse a persistent vendor – you never say “no” but you can say “mawa” (tomorrow) or “nthawi enu” (later).
I met with one (Andrew) of the two men who manage the research courses today and I got part of my assignment. The other gentleman (Mathew) was in Blantyre so we will all three meet on Monday to finalize what I will be doing for them. It sounds like I am going to get the post-graduate (RN-BSN) students to work with on research and help with the undergraduates and graduate courses for the generic studnets. Since things here seem to change from moment to moment and no one seems to plan very far ahead this is probably not the final word. Andrew and I seemed to be in agreement about how to approach the research course so we will see what Mathew thinks. I also met Dr. Kate (I didn’t get her last name) – a Phd Nurse faculty in Blantyre who is in the Peace Corps. She was helping Evelyn Chilemba who was my first contact at the college work on her doctoral dissertation. Evelyn had asked me to help her with the lit review. She is a very bright woman and has designed an ambitious study that still needs some refining which was what Dr. Kate was helping her with. Evelyn is also really interested in innovative teaching methods and is hoping that I can do some workshops for the faculty.
I also met with Kondawani Wella, the librarian who is marvelous and very net savvy. I showed him some simulations that I have used on line and we talked about how the faculty might create some suitable for Malawi. He was happy to have another faculty who appreciates the importance of the library and I was delighted to pick his brain. He is doing some interesting research on “library anxiety” a term I had not heard before but which he explained very cogently.
I finally got my forms and money submitted for my license but they couldn’t process it because the power was out downtown. Norah will pick up the license tomorrow when she goes to deliver the new graduate’s applications to take the nursing registration exam. (Every place has its oddities and Norah had to date stamp every page of the application for every student.)
I am on my second dongle –this one works but needs a password which I do not have. Maybe by tomorrow afternoon I will have something that works – this has been my biggest frustration here not being able to connect with my husband by phone or internet – since there is 10 hours difference by the time I get to work it’s 10PM in the US! And when I leave its 6:30 AM so home access is crucial.
Regina has been the saving grace she is wonderful and makes my life comfortable and easy. I love her girls = 21 and 18 and I think we shall be friends. She was not at work today because she was supervising the planting of beans- she says if she doesn’t supervise the workers will not plant the beans properly and will take the seeds home to cook. Most people in Malawi have a small plot of land to grow food she seems to have more land than most and might be considered wealthy by other Malawians.
Hallelujah I have a dongle that works! I can't down or upload anything but I can read my mail and I can post on facebook. We'll see how it works from home. The wireless here does not work today we had another power outage and I think it messed with the router.

First day of school

The first day of school
This was the first day of school for all of the students – and for this new student of Malawi and Chichewa. I had breakfast with Regina – eggs, potatoes, tomatoes, and coffee and then we were off in her car the 5 or so km to school. Once there she began answering the phone and a million questions while trying to get ready for the all school assembly. The students from all years plus the heads of departments and administrators were on stage and they asked me to sit with them. We were all introduced and I made a hit by saying good morning all and happy new year in Chichewa. Everyone speaks Chichewa to one another so I will be learning faster than I anticipated. Today I could pick out a word here and there and I was able to introduce myself but that was about it. (Thank God I studied some before I left home). After the assembly I met with the Research director for an introduction and then with one of my three new best friends – Charlie Maere the IT man. He quickly got me connected to college internet and later and the day spent several hours trying unsuccessfully to get me both internet and phone. The phone I brought had to be unblocked ($60.00) and an overnight process. There were no dongles available and DSL required a line to the house which doesn’t currently exist but is very cheap ($104.00) and will take two weeks then I buy an $80.00 modem and pay $150.00/mo. The dongle if available is $125/mo. I still don’t know what I’ll do since Regina would really like the DSL and I could work it into the rent. Now if all of this sounds simple it wasn’t. It took 3 stops to get the phone problem managed and that was only because I had Charlie along – without him nothing would have happened. One stop for the internet and then we needed to go the US embassy for my work permit so I can open a bank account. First we went to the wrong building where we were not allowed in to turn around until the car was scanned for bombs by local security. Then when we got to the right building – across town of course- the person I needed wasn’t there so I have to go back tomorrow. I had forgotten how much patience I would need here. Nothing happens quickly and getting angry or annoyed only assures that things will go even more slowly. So I was patient and darn grateful for Charlie who knows all the tech people at the phone company and internet services, Norah the Dean’s secretary who helped me sort out the stuff about the embassy and Mary the registrar who is helping me with the bank account – in part because she wants to buy my dollars because she needs them for a trip to Tanzania next month. (Apparently it is easy to buy kwacha and harder to buy dollars but dollars are legal tender in many places in Africa just not in Malawi).
I also met with the Principal who is more like our dean and is the head of school. Dr. Address is a very formidable scholar and a lovely woman. She was gracious and kind in welcoming me and let me know how they hoped to use my expertise especially with the graduate students. It sounds like I won’t have a regular class but will teach in a variety of courses. None of this is clear yet but in due time I am sure I will find out. Nothing moves quickly here.
Meanwhile Regina was on the phone sometimes two phones and talking to students, faculty, and others. I have learned that there is also a campus in Blantyre in the south where the second year students and some of the midwifery students go. (I apparently will be going there plus being Charlie’s test case for the first use of their polycom like system for two way video). Students take an exam at the end of each module those students who failed the exam at the end of last semester are allowed to take another exam so they can continue in the program, however the exam was to be given on Tuesday in Lilongwe but some of the students didn’t show up and others mistakenly went to Blantyre with their classmates. Regina was trying to track down the missing students and get an exam to Blantyre so the students could take it on Wed). Ah the problems of multi-campus programs!
By the end of the day Regina was exhausted and her daughters were more than 40 minutes late to pick us up – she was not happy. We came home had a cup of tea and a biscuit (cookie) and crashed. Dinner here is usually 730 and neither of us had any lunch.
All in all a good beginning I am grateful for this opportunity. I will try to post some pictures with this but I am having trouble doing that.

January 3 2011

Jan 3 2011
A new home in Malawi
I arrived here at about noon, passed through passport control and customs and was met by Regina the Dean of Kamuzu College of Nursing. Today is a holiday here since Jan 1 fell on Saturday, however tomorrow we begin at the college – although I am not expected to teach yet – first I have to get my license. Regina is a very gracious and kind woman. Her home is a little bit out of t

own and sits on about 5 acres. The house is large and as she puts it “unfinished” but the “guest wing” is more than satisfactory. I have a bedroom, a sitting room and a bathroom. I have borrowed a fan and will need to purchase one to keep the air moving but the temperature is bearable. Regina’s youngest daughter, Michelle, lives here with her and her elder daughter who works in South Africa is visiting until next week. The house comes complete with security, guard dogs –one of whom got lose and went after Regina but left me alone likely because she got frightened and I just stood still- a cook and cleaning staff and two very skinny and skittish kittens. There is however no internet but I have been informed that I can buy a “dongle” and have it on my computer. I will go after that tomorrow. I am very comfortable and although it is warmish there is a breeze and right now it looks like it might rain. Regina was having trouble with her well pump and has gone with the repair man to buy a part. She was worried about the cost as she is about to send her eldest daughter to South Africa for school. Her well is 60 ft down. She boils the water so I have been drinking it so far without ill effect. I didn’t expect hot water for my shower but there it was warm water. That is a bonus.
The well problem is small at least for the moment – the repair guy says the pump needs to be cleaned and that will cost 60,000-100,000 Kwacha ($15, 000). The threatening rain turned into a thunderstorm and there was a close lightening strike so I went inside. The thunder and lightning continued throughout the night and was quite spectacular. There was a small dog barking beneath my window early in the evening but as soon as it began to storm the dog shut up (thank heavens). I was in bed by 0930 and slept like a log.

Report from London

Arrived at 330 AM Sunday (PST) at Heathrow after waiting 45 minutes on the Tarmac at Kennedy for a runway and then 20 more minutes in Heathrow waiting for a gate. Had a lovely (yes that means good looking) young Portuguese boy (14) sitting next to me. He was very sweet and was with his family in NY for New Years. He was in all the mess in Times Square which he described as “being a sardine in a can”. I promised his mother I would take care of him but he didn’t need much care and was a charming companion while we were both awake.
He played videogames and slept and I watched “Winter’s Bone” (a really great movie), and slept. The plane was full of students, many on study tours of England. The group nearest me was studying Shakespeare so they were all reading plays and getting ready for class on Monday. The plane had virtually no leg room if you put a brief case under the seat so I woke up with crampy legs and was happy to trek all over Heathrow. I am waiting to snag a big couch – they have some in the South end of the “long haul” terminal but you have to wait like a vulture.
I am pretty tired but I think I will try to stay awake so I can sleep most of the way to Johannesburg. I am enjoying all the languages here. I has Swedish and Italians near me when I got coffee and Canadians on their way home to Montreal in line for the screening. I am enjoying my Kindle and the chance to access the internet.
I loved the light scupture so I thought I would share it with you all. More pictures later.

On my way

Left my hotel at SEATAC at 4AM Very nice flight to NYC. Currently sitting at JFK waiting for my flight to London. I am still alert and not too wiped out. The airport is full of Italians and Germans mostly headed home after the holidays. To ok 8 tries to get through to Clint from here - calls kept dropping.